Zombie Thérapie (Zombie Thérapie, #1)

Dec 12, 2010 Ceridwen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Plane readers

Recommended to Ceridwen by: Meredith & Eh! are awesome

Shelves: america-and-environs, for-teh-ladies, omg-were-all-going-to-die, pulp, rbrs, sexy-nihilists, zombies

This poor book. If I had written and posted my review when I read the book, it would have been full of a bunch of !!!! and SQUEE. I had very low expectations going in, and read it on a plane, where I have a much lower standard for enjoyment. A short list of things in favor of this book:

1. For dropping the f-bomb on the second page, and for general cussedness throughout the book. Marriage, and the zombie apocalypse, are not times to mince words.

2. For killing a zombie with a toilet seat. I find...more This poor book. If I had written and posted my review when I read the book, it would have been full of a bunch of !!!! and SQUEE. I had very low expectations going in, and read it on a plane, where I have a much lower standard for enjoyment. A short list of things in favor of this book:

1. For dropping the f-bomb on the second page, and for general cussedness throughout the book. Marriage, and the zombie apocalypse, are not times to mince words.

2. For killing a zombie with a toilet seat. I find the whole toilet-seat-up-or-down debate that goes on lame beyond the telling of it, mostly because I think everyone should completely close the throne when not in use. It has a lid for a reason; use it.

3. For having no descriptions of sex of any kind, especially not corpsesecks. Every.single.person I told about this book before I read it asked me if it had zombiesecks in it, and then gave me a look like I was gross for reading it. I am not gross! Nor is this book in that way.

But, hrm, I was coming at this novel as a romance novel, where my standards are super low because it's entirely not the genre for me, and I know that. Married With Zombies is a whole lot less romance novel, and a lot more romantic zombedy, and it's in the mash-up where I think this book both succeeds and fails. So, our main characters start the story bickering on the way to their marriage counseling session, and it's some good bicker. They find their marriage counselor eating the corpses of the previous couple and that's maybe the best thing ever. From here they bop around trying to survive the zombie apocalypse, and I truly, earnestly believe the take-home message is that any marriage can be worked out if the couple can kill every last ever-loving person they know. I don't want to get too *spoiler alert*, but seriously, if you are with a couple like this in the zombie apocalypse, start looking for an exit strategy, because you are next. Om nom nom, bitches.

Sorry I'm about to get all weird and serious, but I think there is something perfect about putting together a zombie narrative and the romance novel, because both are narratives of narcissism. (When I say perfect, I'm being a little bitchy.) Much as I love me some zombies, I'm also bothered by how often these stories hinge on narrative exceptionalism, where the main characters survive and thrive only because they are main characters, and author-proxies, and reader-proxies. Not good enough, if you want to be a human being. I've taken the facebook quiz about whether I'd survive the zombie apocalypse, and I did fine because I answered assuming I'd throw everyone under the bus. I wouldn't though; that's just wrong. The same thing could be said of romance novels, in terms of narcissism. If you take a step back from the swooning and sparkling, so often the main characters of TEH ROMANCE are creepy sociopaths, who stand up to the impediments to their union using self-involvement. Here it's kind of perfect: love is just another word for no one left to kill. I've always though that romantic love is terrifically anti-social: love doesn't give a good godamn about race or creed or gender or whatnot, but romance novels seek to contain that fucked up crazy force, and siphon it into marriage and bab*es and happily ever after after. The HEA is a cabin filled with supplies and a gun that doesn't jam.

So, that's where this book fails for me, ultimately. If you take it lightly, it's mostly fun, but the minute you stop and think, you realize that the main characters are incredibly poorly sketched – like, I have no idea what this couples' genuine problems were, and they got over them through murder and driving around a lot. Okay. The zombies are a little nonsensical – they have a period of lucidity right after they turn that's poorly played, and a contrivance for a scene that should have been cut. But it's bothersome, very bothersome, to me to have to care about people who have not proven to me I should care. Zombie narratives often pull the “omg, but maybe the living are the monsters” card, which I often sigh about, but it's not such a bad message, really. The central couple here is monstrous in a way, blundering through this story with their protagonist invincibility, dispatching their marital problems and everyone in their paths with a lack of affect I find troubling. You know the whole funny ha-ha idea? This book goes for scary ha-ha, and hits ha-ha scary, and not in the way it intents. Shoot, now I've bummed myself out.

Really, though, it's worthwhile as a plane read, and fine if you give it no thought. In fact, I blame Goodreads for making me think about this stuff long enough to write a review, and myself for waiting a month to write this. I'm still on the fence about rating this, but I'll probably go for three, just because of certain zombie sock monsters who were with me for my read.

zombiesock

(less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Buggy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: end-of-days, shelf-11, walkers, lmao, chick-lit

Opening Line: "David and I became warriors in the zombie plague on the first day, but I don't think that means we were front line soldiers or something."

Touted as “romantic comedy with…brains.” this was a fantastic, super fun read that had me laughing from page 1 and just didn’t stop. Alongside all the gore and zombie mayhem there’s also a well written, action filled, story here which I think anyone who’s been in a long term relationship or seen Sean of the Dead will be able to relate to. Follow...more Opening Line: "David and I became warriors in the zombie plague on the first day, but I don't think that means we were front line soldiers or something."

Touted as “romantic comedy with…brains.” this was a fantastic, super fun read that had me laughing from page 1 and just didn’t stop. Alongside all the gore and zombie mayhem there’s also a well written, action filled, story here which I think anyone who’s been in a long term relationship or seen Sean of the Dead will be able to relate to. Following average Seattle couple, Sarah and David as they try to save not only their crumbling marriage but struggle through the first few days of a zombie apocalypse. With only each other to rely on it becomes as much of a struggle not to kill the other as it does to battle the rising undead.

I loved the way this was written, I loved that Sarah and David live in the real world, they talk like we do, they bicker, they swear at each other, they drive a crappy car, they figure out how to kill zombies from plotlines they’ve seen in movies. And the chapter headings are hilarious too, consisting of *helpful relationship advice quotes*, altered to take into account the whole zombie issue. Married With Zombies takes a light hearted look at marriage while kicking major zombie ass and it was a blast.

Sarah and David are on the verge of divorce so it’s no wonder they don’t notice a few strange sightings on their way to couples counselling. However when they find Dr Kelly eating the previous clients it gets their attention. Suddenly which radio station to listen to, or how much time David spends playing video games is the least of their concerns. Which piece of office equipment best disables a zombie is the new normal. As it turns out a letter opener, high heeled shoe or even a well aimed Dr Phil book will work in a pinch.

Learning as they go Sarah and David return home only to find their undead neighbour in their bathroom, -turns out you can also kill a zombie by crushing his head with a toilet seat, however this does make things a little awkward when his girlfriend shows up. Luckily she’s got a stockpile of guns and ammunition (never can tell about ones neighbours can you) Because Sarah and David are about to leave the city, I mean things have got to better in the suburbs, right?

You’ll be cheering this dysfunctional couple along as they stumble across plagues of the undead, religious cults, a visit to a zombie casino, looting (another new normal) first drives in luxury cars, broken limbs and a visit to the country fair (zombies on ferris wheel anyone) Through all the arguing, when it comes right down to it theres no one else Sarah or David would rather go through a zombie apocalypse with than each other. Cheers

Thankfully this is only the first instalment from the Living With The Dead Series, Flip this Zombie is next.

*Men are from mars zombies are from hell.
*Balance the workload in your relationship. No one person should be responsible for killing all the zombies.
*Make requests, not demands “please” kill that zombie honey, I’m out of bullets.
*Support your partner in their interests. You never know when batting practice, kung fu movies or even poker night might come in handy during a zombie infestation.
*Never go to bed angry, terrified is okay.
*Give each other compliments every day. Even when the undead attack, its nice to feel pretty or badass.
*Address one issue at a time. You can’t load gasoline, pick up food and kill 15 zombies all at once.

"I should have know that having "end of the world" sex wouldn't solve our problems. Though it was pretty great and I highly recommend it. Its one of the big benefits of an apocalypse that no one tells you about. It just makes everything...better, because you know it might be the last time every time."

"Have you ever wanted to smash a car? or break a television? Or maybe burn a big fire in the middle of a city square? If the answer is yes, then you'd have some fun during a zombie infestation. Its the little moments, you know?"(less)

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Nov 08, 2010 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-that-bodice-ripper-group

JESUS CHRIST, HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO EDIT THIS!! THIS MASCOT COMPETITION IS TURNING INTO SOME MISS AMERICA SCANDAL!! WALBERT IS BACK IN THE RUNNING. HE HAS NO SHOT OF WINNING, BUT LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS!!! LOOOOOOK!! COMPARED TO THE BEE, HE IS THE PMOAT!!!

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/24...

as an aside- i really hate that bee, and it would make the site look like one for doofy toddlers, not bookish adults. i can stand to lose to a hedgehog, but that bee has got to go down (LGM)

so...more JESUS CHRIST, HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO HAVE TO EDIT THIS!! THIS MASCOT COMPETITION IS TURNING INTO SOME MISS AMERICA SCANDAL!! WALBERT IS BACK IN THE RUNNING. HE HAS NO SHOT OF WINNING, BUT LOOK HOW CUTE HE IS!!! LOOOOOOK!! COMPARED TO THE BEE, HE IS THE PMOAT!!!

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/24...

as an aside- i really hate that bee, and it would make the site look like one for doofy toddlers, not bookish adults. i can stand to lose to a hedgehog, but that bee has got to go down (LGM)

so but zombies.

this book was much more enjoyable than i had feared. humorous zombie books are tricky to pull off. on the one hand, a creature that only wants to eat your brains is funny. on the other hand- seriously - it really wants to eat your brains. that's not funny.

but i found myself reluctantly charmed by this couple and their struggles to maintain their relationship and not get turned into zombies, all in the same day. thankfully, they had seen some zombie movies (which they were not afraid to reference). the "figuring out" part of zombie movies and books is always a real downer. "what are these creatures?? what do they want???" please. if i go outside today and see someone shuffling down the street, head cocked, moaning a little, i am going to crossbow it in the head. and if it is simply a stroke victim - well, mea culpa. you would have been thanking me if it was a zombie. but when characters waste too much time scratching their heads and wondering "what do we dooooo?", it just frustrates the audience.

this book had good ass-kickery mixed with actual humor (i.e. - humor that made me laugh, not just cheap placeholder humor) and a bonus cult situation. the surprises never felt contrived - there were some genuinely intense moments, and i ended up rooting for the pair to rekindle their love and shoot some corpses in the head. good times.

on halloween, i was read-walking this very book down the street, and i saw the saddest thing: a little princess had rung the doorbell of an old man's house, and he opened the door and bellowed "no trick or treaters!!!" dude! just don't answer the door, no need to be a jerk about it.i kind of wish she had been a zombie, and had eaten him. then i wrote a story in my head where all the trick-or-treaters were zombies and i walked a little more quickly to escape them.

in summary:

bee= bad
this book = good.

also - just for the record - i do not like how this book tore the rbrs apart into two factions. can we come together again for next month, pleeeeeze??(less)

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Apr 19, 2013 Gabriella *is awesome* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chic-lite, hilarious, swoon-worthy-hero, fresh-favourites, supernatural

Make requests, not demands “please” kill that zombie honey, I’m out of bullets.

description

OMG ! this book was absolulty fantastic !! and LOL defiantly hilarious !from the story's first intal pages to its very end..this book kept me entertained and laughing as i flipped through the adventures of our two humans DAVE AND SARAH against the apocalypse.

description

"The Couple who Slays together , Stays Together"

LOL true,who knew killing you brain-eating/marriage saving councilor would actually save your relationship ? A...more

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Dec 02, 2011 Amy or "Ames" rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: NOT for zombie fans

Shelves: death-reapers-zombies, laugh-out-loud, romance, 1st-in-series, library-books, read-in-2011, series-abandoned, authors-i-respect, i-heart-the-cover-art

Dear god, what have I read?! Horrific. Superficial Too Stupid To Live characters I don't care about, stumbling around blindly asking to be eaten.

Comedy

Having loved the show Married with Children I impulsively decided I would love this too. However, I'm wondering now whether "zombies" and "comedy" can ever be a good mix in the post-Carry On world, and in the absence of Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead totally pulls off the ZomRomCom). And perhaps with this book by marketing it as a comedy excuses th...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Ninja Sock Puppet rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Shaun

Recommended to Ninja Sock Puppet by: Ceridwen

Shelves: stolen-from-ceridwen

Zombedy.

Sarah and David's marriage is on the rocks. They're at the bitter end of it when the zombie apocalypse comes. A story of triumph through adversity, their struggles against the zombie horde mirror the difficulties they must overcome to save their marriage.

This actually sounds like a boring synopsis. The book was really entertaining, bringing in funny modern-day references to zombie movies, popular songs, and other cultural relics. Each chapter is headed by a therapy-sounding aphorism whic...more Zombedy.

Sarah and David's marriage is on the rocks. They're at the bitter end of it when the zombie apocalypse comes. A story of triumph through adversity, their struggles against the zombie horde mirror the difficulties they must overcome to save their marriage.

This actually sounds like a boring synopsis. The book was really entertaining, bringing in funny modern-day references to zombie movies, popular songs, and other cultural relics. Each chapter is headed by a therapy-sounding aphorism which is immediately applied to life post-zombie apocalypse. This juxtaposition of the trite and worn with the zombie cliche is very clever and in most chapters you can actually see how the zombie apocalypse could easily substitute for marriage counseling in a pinch. Well, the world is destroyed, but at least they're not sniping at each other anymore. All it took was their marriage therapist eating her former clients to goad them into getting serious about working on their relationship.

This is not a romance novel. It's a very funny zombie novel, combined with a tiny bit of social satire. If you like movies like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland (both of which are referenced in the book), you'll enjoy this read. The snarky narrator and her layabout husband are great characters who make a great zombie busting team, and you really start caring about them and rooting for them by the end.

This is an enjoyable book. It's quick, entertaining, and not too thinky.

Yes, that's a word. Look it up. Thinky. I'll wait right here. Just ignore the links about the Lego Mars rover.

EDIT:
I don't normally edit my reviews after they've been posted, but I wrote this over vacation right after reading it. Ceridwen has already read my review, so I'm probably safe in disparaging her on the internet now. These very words are down below the 'MORE...' line, so chances are she'll never see them. Don't go and spoil it for me by telling her, though.

Since I wrote the original review, it occurs to me that Sarah and David are very much like me and my wife. We are snarky, we sometimes do things that makes the other one crazy, and we watch each other's back while fighting the undead hordes. Our marriage isn't in any danger, though. I've never been afraid of zombies, but she was, to the point of losing sleep after seeing a trailer for an upcoming movie on the television. So we got Tivo and started skipping the commercials. But then I'd want to see a zombie movie in the theater and couldn't, because I have a thing about seeing movies by myself. That's something only perverts and socially bankrupt losers do. By the way, it's not funny to stumble through the house moaning about brains. What to do?

We started her immersion therapy by watching movies that were billed as zombie flicks but were really just virus movies. 28 Days Later and stuff like that. The zombies moved too fast to fit into the traditional zombie category (slow-moving, arms out straight, muttering, "BRAAAAAAAAAAINS") so they weren't as scary. Then we'd move to the funnier zombie movies, which offset the fear with laughter. Finally, she read this book, and without any side effects whatsoever. I'd say she actually enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to finally getting caught up with the Resident Evil franchise now.

This book saved my marriage. And it will save yours, too.(less)

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies, urban-fantasy, book-list-2011

'Married with Zombies' is such a fun book! The main characters, Sarah and David, are married, and while there is a zombie apocalypse unfolding around them, they still argue about the issues that had them in therapy to begin with, and because of these two characters, 'Married with Zombies' gives a slightly original slant on the usual characters offered in zombie fiction.

However, that's where the originality ends, this book is full of zombie fiction cliches, but you know what, I didn't care. This...more 'Married with Zombies' is such a fun book! The main characters, Sarah and David, are married, and while there is a zombie apocalypse unfolding around them, they still argue about the issues that had them in therapy to begin with, and because of these two characters, 'Married with Zombies' gives a slightly original slant on the usual characters offered in zombie fiction.

However, that's where the originality ends, this book is full of zombie fiction cliches, but you know what, I didn't care. This is such a great read because it is pure entertainment. I giggled at their quibbles and yet there is still enough substance and depth to make me care about both these characters. There's also enough disgusting viscera and brain munching to keep me happy with regards to action and it's a fast-paced read.

It begins when Dave and Sarah are on their way to see their marriage therapist and notice that the roads aren't as busy as usual. But they don't think much about it and continue bickering. When they arrive at their therapy session they wait outside the room. After waiting for what seems like ages, Sarah opens the door to find Dr Kelly munching on her previous clients.

The first thing I noticed was that Dr. Kelly's eyes were no longer blue. Now they were red with huge pupils that didn't seem to focus on anything in particular, even when she looked right at us.
Her skin was a greyish tone, sickly and pale and...dead-looking, honestly. Except for her mouth, which was covered with a black substance that clung to her lips and teeth. Her chin was bright red with blood and sticky with flesh from the fresh meal she had just devoured.
"Um, Dr. Kelly," I said, hardly able to breathe. "Dr. Kelly, are you okay?"

From there chaos ensues and Dave and Sarah find themselves in a zombie infested world where they have to fight, kill and steal to stay alive. It's the same old story I've read many times within this genre, but it's wrapped in snappy dialogue and contains two very interesting, fun characters.

There are a few other characters throughout the book but they are fleeting acquaintances. Mostly, Dave and Sarah have to pull together to survive, and they begin to surprise themselves at what they're actually capable of.

I shook off my surprise and started booking it across the parking lot again. One of the zombies broke toward us and caught up to us pretty easily since we were slowed down by Dave's injury. I pushed my husband behind me and did the thing you always see at some point in zombie movies.
I went all kung fu on his zombie ass.

They soon begin to work as a team and although this is a story about a married couple with zombies, there's still enough action to keep the story moving along at a perfect pace. It's also narrated by Sarah, who's funny and brave - I like her a lot. Dave's great too but for me Sarah is the star.

VERDICT:

'Married with Zombies' is a wonderfully entertaining read. The writing is witty, the characters are warm and funny and the story is suspenseful and exciting. The slight twist on the typical hero and heroine of zombie fiction makes this is a refreshing read and I highly recommend it to any zombie fan.(less)

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Mar 22, 2012 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: zombie people

Shelves: scary-shit-beware, oh-you-so-funny, paranormal-fix, rotten-stinky-walking-dead, the-fantasy-of-urbans, whiny-bitches, d-oh, reviewed-2012

If I could hug myself and kiss the hell out of my brilliant ~~little~~ huge (because I’m freakishly smart) brain I would! Oh wait, I can actually do that. At least the hugging part. Kissing my own brain might be difficult unless I turn into a zombie somehow. But then maybe I would be tempted to eat my own brain. Is that considered making out with it or not?

Anyways, Married With Zombies was such a great book! Well.. not really sooo great, but pretty nice. More than nice. Great. Is a three-star ratin...more

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Oct 16, 2010 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: supernatural, i-have

I was shocked by how good this book was! I would recommend it to anyone who likes zombie stories. It was humorous as well, which is always a plus.

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Feb 28, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: full-of-wonderful, zombies-like-brains, arcs-read, adult, owned-finishedreviewcopy

'...I never would have guessed that unlike therapy, unlike the self-help books that littered our apartment at the time, killing zombies would save my relationship.'

Sarah and Dave are having marital problems and have been attending marriage counseling once a week for the past 6 months. On the way to their weekly visit, their session ends up going far differently than the others: their marriage counselor attempts to eat them. After a momentary fight for their lives where their marriage counselor e...more

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Oct 27, 2010 Elizabeth Briggs added it · review of another edition

Sarah and David have been married for five years and all the things they once found cute about each other have turned into annoyances they bicker about. They're trying to make it work, but things aren't getting better and they've both Googled "divorce lawyer." Then they show up for their weekly therapy session and their marriage counselor tries to eat their brains.

The way Sarah and David react to the zombies felt a lot like how my husband and I would react if it really happened: we'd freak out a...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Casey Aldridge rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ahhhh yes, the zom-rom-com genre. Evidently after reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, I felt like continuing on. This one is a pretty easy read - its short, lightweight and full of zombie kills and some advice about keeping your marriage going during the zombie apocalypse.

Our two protagonists, David and Sarah, first encounter the start of the outbreak while attending their weekly marriage counselling session, which is how that plays in, and it's a continuing theme. All the chapters are hea...more

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Jan 29, 2013 John Eddy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you've ever had a fight with your significant other but you still madly love them, this book will make you wish for a Zombie Outbreak to bring you closer together.

The tale centers around a couple going through a rough patch, in counselling and trying to work out their problems but on the brink of divorce when the apocalypse decides to hit in the form of a Zombie Outbreak at the University of Washington.

Peppered with pop-culture references (note: I'm a fan of pop-culture references in fiction,...more

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Oct 27, 2012 Diane Mcclure rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Since I was going to be visiting Seattle I wanted a book that was set there. Since it is October and I just finished the AMC Walking Dead Marathon, I decided to try this zombie story. It was beyond what I anticipated. Appropriate zombie gore and he geography of Seattle was truly brought home. Too close. I was staying just north of the University District and spent the day in the UW research facilities which could have spawn the Seattle zombie apocalypse. I thought I was too old to be kept awake...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Dark Faerie Tales rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-sheila

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Fun-filled zombie hunting therapy… need I say more?

Opening Sentence: David and I became warriors in the zombie plague on the first day, but don’t think that means we were front line soldiers or something.

The Review:

There are so many self-help books out there that they have their own section in bookstores. But how many couple self-help books use zombie killing to strengthen a marriage? This is the best book idea, EVER!

David and Sarah’s marria...more

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Jul 31, 2012 melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: à-la-maison, ebooks

Ce que j'aime particulièrement dans cet ouvrage, c'est qu'il s'agit d'une comédie. Oui, tuer des zombies peut être un acte drôlissime, du moment que c'est bien raconté. Les titres de chapitres annoncent déjà la couleur : Les tâches doivent être équitablement réparties dans le couple. Chacun son tour de tuer les zombies, pour ne citer qu'un seul exemple. Il faut dire qu'une invasion de zombie, il n'y a rien de mieux comme thérapie de couple. Et même si la narratrice a parfois encore envie de déca...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Fangs for the Fantasy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sarah and Dave are attending marriage counseling to try and save their doomed relationship – not that it’s helping very much. But who would have thought that saving their marriage, would mean killing their marriage counselor?

To be fair, the counselor was trying to eat them at the time. A zombie outbreak has come to Seattle and before long, they’re outnumbering the living people. Faced with the shock of what has happened and then the desperate need to flee the city, Sarah and Dave have to come to...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-2010s, x-series-bk-1

Sarah and David are a couple with serious relationship problems - mainly that they hate each other's guts. They are seeing a marriage and family therapist to resolve their differences, though it doesn't seem to be working because Sarah finds out, through that handy key word saver feature that search browsers love SO much, that somebody in her family has been looking for divorce lawyers without consulting her. Ouch. The only thing more cold than that, folks, is finding out when your husband sudde...more Sarah and David are a couple with serious relationship problems - mainly that they hate each other's guts. They are seeing a marriage and family therapist to resolve their differences, though it doesn't seem to be working because Sarah finds out, through that handy key word saver feature that search browsers love SO much, that somebody in her family has been looking for divorce lawyers without consulting her. Ouch. The only thing more cold than that, folks, is finding out when your husband suddenly changes his Facebook status to single. Yowza.

However, on this particular visit, they find the building deserted. And when they open the door to the therapist's office, they find the good doctor chowing down on the remains of the previous clients. This is the gory start to the zombie apocalypse. Despite their marriage troubles, Sarah and David are forced to band together and put aside their differences to wage war upon the undead. As the title suggests, this ends up having a positive impact on their marriage, and is actually more effective than therapy. (Reminds me of that joke in the movie What About Bob. The one about Death Therapy. Nothing cures phobias or social dysfunction faster than trying to murder your clients. Note to future psychologists: This technique is not condoned by the American Psychiatric Association.)

Each chapter opens with one of those stereotypical commandments marriage counselors so love to parrot. Things like "Listen." Or, "Never go to bed angry." They are paired with some snarky advice on how zombie attack prevention is so much more important than your own marital squabbling. It was amusing, though somewhat juvenile, and would befit a YA novel better than an adult novel.

Despite this being an enjoyable read, I still only gave it two stars because nothing really set it apart from the genre. This was just another book riding on the coattails of the zombie craze. Plus, it was incredibly formulaic. Each chapter essentially boils down into a simple recipe:

1. Sarah and David try to complete some kind of 'escape the zombies' goal.
2. Sarah and David encounter zombies despite their "best" efforts.
3. Sarah and David narrowly escape being bitten, thus surviving to burden the population with their stupidity genes once more.
4. Sarah and David get into an argument about zombies, that's really about their marriage (i c what u did thar Jesse Petersen!!!).
5. Sarah and David resolve the argument about zombies, thus also fixing the marriage.

I'm not a huge fan of books and movies that put characters through mortal peril to improve upon their personalities. It seems like a pretty cheap way of forcing character development. Especially since these two really didn't develop that much and the changes came across as contrived. Probably I didn't like this book that much because I'm not one of those "OOOOH ZOMBIES!!! <3" type people. I mostly bought this book for my sister, who is. But it was a fun read. Just don't expect anything meaningful - it's pretty stereotypical of the genre.(less)

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Jan 31, 2012 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jesse Petersen’s debut novel in this series is a worthy installment into the zombie apocalypse genre. Centering on Sarah and David, a young Seattle couple with marital issues and on the verge of a potential divorce/separation, they find themselves working together when the Emerald City becomes a city of the dead. The action starts in their therapist’s office and continues from there virtually non-stop. Written from Sarah’s perspective, we are introduced to a couple that are cynical, sarcastic an...more Jesse Petersen’s debut novel in this series is a worthy installment into the zombie apocalypse genre. Centering on Sarah and David, a young Seattle couple with marital issues and on the verge of a potential divorce/separation, they find themselves working together when the Emerald City becomes a city of the dead. The action starts in their therapist’s office and continues from there virtually non-stop. Written from Sarah’s perspective, we are introduced to a couple that are cynical, sarcastic and appear right at home in the midst of adversity, especially a zombie infestation. What I found to be quite refreshing is the character’s quick thinking on what could be used at a weapon. In the beginning few chapters, Sarah uses a toilet seat to dispatch a zombie. This was hysterical and suspenseful at the same time. As the story is told from Sarah’s perspective, she seems at times to be more concerned about the mess and zombie sludge staining her clothes then the fact that zombies are now walking around.

Over the course of this novel, we see the formerly divorce/separation destined couple pull together and work as an efficient team. The tension is spot on as they try to leave their apartment then the city, encountering everything from zombie neighbors, infected building supers to a wacked out Jim Jones type cult.

Ms. Petersen’s writing is invigorating and fresh. The world she creates is one where the traditional zombies roam, full of black gunk and searching for more uninfected, human victims. David and Sarah are natural born survivors who just like everyone else, make mistakes and learn from them. The characters that Ms. Petersen brings to life are not the super human all powerful zombie killing larger than life heroes out to save the world. They’re out to save their own asses and maybe those that they encounter as they try to get out of the city. Just avoid getting bit and everything will work out just fine.

What I found to be appealing was the characters drive to leave the city not head to the mall or some other location in a weak attempt to imitate what other authors and film makers in this genre think will work.

After all the three rules to follow in any disaster are:

1) get out of the city
2) Get out of the city
3) GET OUT OF THE CITY

Of course, Dave and Sarah’s primary motivation is to get to David’s sister to see if she’s still alive but just getting out of the city is one major plus for Ms. Petersen’s characters. The journey takes them through several of the cities and towns south of Seattle as they head for South West Washington and more rural settings.

This first book is excellent and well worth adding to anyone’s collection of the genre. I’d like to predict a film being made from the series but considering the lack of imagination Hollywood has and the current trend of remaking mediocre television shows and movies from the 70s and 80s into big screen flops, it’s doubtful that this will happen.

But one can always hope.
(less)

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Dec 29, 2011 Kayla Guyette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I stumbled upon Married With Zombies by chance and am so glad I did! While I do like zombies (just not when their hungry for my brains), my best friend is much more of a zombie fan than myself. But after reading the description for Married With Zombies, I was very curious to begin reading. I told myself I’d read two chapters a night before bed, that quickly became 4+ on some nights. Over half of the chapters leave you wanting to know what happens next. So what’s so great about Married With Zombi...more

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Dec 12, 2011 Holjo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rated 4.5/5

Summary: Sarah and David have hit a rough patch in their relationship. After five years of marriage, they are both unhappy and fight constantly with each other. In an effort to resolve their issues, they have been going to counseling once a week for the past six months.
On their final visit with Dr. Kelly, they walk into a scene right out of a horror movie. Dr. Kelly is literally eating two of her patients. As Sarah and David stare in shock and disbelief, Dr Kelly turns her attention o...more Rated 4.5/5

Summary: Sarah and David have hit a rough patch in their relationship. After five years of marriage, they are both unhappy and fight constantly with each other. In an effort to resolve their issues, they have been going to counseling once a week for the past six months.
On their final visit with Dr. Kelly, they walk into a scene right out of a horror movie. Dr. Kelly is literally eating two of her patients. As Sarah and David stare in shock and disbelief, Dr Kelly turns her attention on them. Before this counseling session is over, Dr Kelly is dead.... for a second time.

Sarah and David soon learn that all of Seattle is under siege by the undead. Some sort of experiment at the University of Washington went horribly wrong and resulted in Zombies taking over the city. The Zombies are multiplying at an astounding rate, and no where in the city is safe.

When the couple is finally able to leave the city, they decide head toward a small town in southern Washington to find out if David's sister has survived. Along the way, they battle zombies, they escape the clutches of a cult, and they become thieves. But, by working together against a common enemy, they also begin to repair their marriage.

Review: As a general rule, zombie stories have never really appealed to me. No matter how talented the author, zombies are still going to be decaying human bodies... YUCK. I picked up this book because the cover made it look like it might be satire instead of a "serious" zombie story. It was not satire. It was a real zombie story with truly disgusting zombies. And believe it or not, I liked it. A lot.

So what made this one different? Humor. Sarah and David are hilarious. It isn't intentional on their part. They just can't help having some ridiculous moments in the midst of the surreal events unfolding around them. For instance, Sarah winds up killing a zombie with a toilet seat after having a meltdown over David leaving the seat up AGAIN. Sure, her life was in danger at the time, but she was that darn toilet seat that made her fly off the handle.

I doubt that I'll ever be a zombie fan, but I'm definitely a fan of this author. She made me like something I never thought I'd like. And for that, she deserves this high rating.(less)

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Sep 22, 2011 Carmen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first of three books centering around Sarah and David. A couple on the brink of divorce… that is until the day they find their marriage councillor chowing down on her previous clients. And not in a good way. So begins a rollercoaster ride of zombie bashing, couple bickering and good old fashioned car theft.

The two main characters, Sarah and David, are so flawed in their own ways but both so likeable. The story was told from a first person perspective by Sarah and I liked seeing how s...more

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Aug 13, 2011 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Couple who Slays together , Stays Together".

Vampires, Werewolves, Angels move over and make way for Zombies. Zombies it seems is the new supernatural creature to create a buzz and Im not exactly sure why as it's not like Zombies have ever been portrayed as hot , sexy and seductive like Vampires or Werewolves. When I saw this title all I could think about was the hit show Married with Children but it has nothing whatsoever to do with that. Married with Zombies takes us into the life of David...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first book in the Living with the Dead series by Petersen. The third book in this series (Eat, Love, Slay) was just released in July of 2011. This was a fun series; pretty typical zombie stuff but the main couple involved in the story is hilarious.

Sarah and David have been going to couple's counseling for months. Things just aren't working out: Sarah is still working her butt off to make ends meet and David is still lounging around playing video games and hoping to "find himself". We...more This is the first book in the Living with the Dead series by Petersen. The third book in this series (Eat, Love, Slay) was just released in July of 2011. This was a fun series; pretty typical zombie stuff but the main couple involved in the story is hilarious.

Sarah and David have been going to couple's counseling for months. Things just aren't working out: Sarah is still working her butt off to make ends meet and David is still lounging around playing video games and hoping to "find himself". Well their most recent counseling session changes all of that when their counselor tries to eat them. Yep, she's turned into a zombie. Now Susan and David are forced to work together to stay alive in a zombie infested world; who knew zombie slaying could bring a couple closer together?

This book is well written, fast moving, and makes for a fun read. Sarah and David come across as your standard dysfunctional couple on the edge of divorce. They are constantly irritating each other and letting small things drive them crazy. They are both snarky and sarcastic and fun to read about. It is only when they have to stand side by side and fight together in life-threatening situations that they finally begin to remember why they got married in the first place.

This whole book brings to light that whole philosophy of "don't sweat the small things" in your relationship. Really when your life is on the line who cares if your husband put the stupid Whitesnake album in the CD player again? Petersen also touches on how much better things can be when you think every day might be your last. I love how each chapter name consists of some couples counseling advice but with zombies added.

The zombies in this book are pretty standard. The whole scenario is an infection gone awry type of thing. The zombies are your typical mindless brain-eating variety, so the book doesn't really cover anything new and creative from that aspect.

The book was a quick read and well paced, it was engaging and hard to put down. For those with weak stomachs it does get pretty graphic; there is a lot of discussion of blood, black vomit, brain matter, and various stages of rot. There is also quite a bit of swearing, so definitely targeted at an adult audience.

Overall a fun, fast read. I read the book quickly and found it to be funny and engaging. Sarah and David are both funny and tough. It was sweet and fun to watch how they worked through their marital issues via zombie therapy. A good book for zombie fans that like humor and engaging characters. This book doesn't really cover any new territory as far as zombie theory goes; these zombies are the same mindless brain-eaters you know and love. A great summer read, with a lot of laughs and a bit of heart too. I will definitely be reading the second book in the series: Flip This Zombie.(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-stars

Plot: 2.5 Stars
I was a little let down by this novel. The tagline on the back cover reads, "A romantic comedy with... BRAAAINS!" But this novel didn't come across as much of a romantic comedy for me because there wasn't much humor to it. There were a couple of interesting scenes that bordered on funny and a couple of one-liners, but I definitely wouldn't consider it a romantic comedy. It felt more like an Urban Fantasy or Horror novel about a zombie apocalypse. The only thing that set this novel...more Plot: 2.5 Stars
I was a little let down by this novel. The tagline on the back cover reads, "A romantic comedy with... BRAAAINS!" But this novel didn't come across as much of a romantic comedy for me because there wasn't much humor to it. There were a couple of interesting scenes that bordered on funny and a couple of one-liners, but I definitely wouldn't consider it a romantic comedy. It felt more like an Urban Fantasy or Horror novel about a zombie apocalypse. The only thing that set this novel apart from the majority of zombie novels and movies was that the main characters were a couple whose marriage was on the verge of divorce. While it was interesting to see how the couple dealt with the apocolypse, the zombies and the apocolypse did not seem all that unique.

Pace: 3 Stars
The beginning of this novel was a quick and easy read. The action grabs you from the very first page, and doesn't let go. As the characters rush around and try not the get eaten, the pace of the novel keeps up without feeling rushed. But at about the halfway mark, things start to slow down just a bit. And a couple scenes start to feel a bit repetitive. There's only so many times the zombies can sneak up on a person before it gets a bit monotonous. Although my interested did pick back up when Sarah and David ran into some humans that were just as freaky and dangerous.

Characters: 3.5 Stars
Sarah and David were an interesting couple. This was the first paranormal novel I've read that involved a married couple, let alone one that wasn't all that happy together. Their relationship's dynamic was probably the best part of the novel. Wondering whether or not they would survive the zombie apocalypse divorce-free kept me reading. There were also a number of strange people they met along the way. Considering they didn't stay in any one place for much time, the people they came across were pretty well-rounded for acquaintances. Amanda, their neighbor, was one of the few characters that stuck around for more than a chapter, and although she was a bit naive, she did help the couple out for a while.

Cover: 3 Stars
This novel has a very interesting cover. My favorite part is the line of zombie silouettes in the background because it looks like they're chasing after the silouettes of the main characters. Or dancing. The broken heart around the title was a nice touch, considering the premise of the novel. The hot pink really popped against the gray background and was a very interesting choice considering the book is about a zombie apocalypse. My main gripe with this cover is that the spine of the novel is very bland. It's just the gray background with the title in black. Considering the spine is most likely the only part of the novel showing on the shelf, there's nothing there to really catch the eye. Including the hot pink from the cover would definitely grab a shoppers attention.

Overall: 3 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this novel for my own reading pleasure. (less)

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Jul 05, 2011 Monster added it · review of another edition

Shelves: zombies-adult

This is the first book in Petersen’s Living With The Dead series, and I’m not sure whether to classify it as romance, horror, romance, or urban fantasy. It has a bit of all three. Although the cover blurb for Married with Zombies calls it a romantic comedy, the humor is dark, there's not much romance, and it certainly doesn’t have the “happily ever after” ending generally expected in paranormal romances. The premise of the series is that a zombie-causing plague hits Seattle, beginning with an ac...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Irrish rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: it-s-really-you-not-me-suckage

No. No. No. No. Absolutely No. I've always loved Zombies but only have recently started getting into the genre but this book is just an abomination. Pun horribly intended.

I've recently finished Mira Grant, JL Bourne, Max Brooks, Craig DiLouie, Seth Grahame-Smith and I can tell you this is NOT up to par. Yes, I know this is suppose to be more of a romantic comedy and I actually love the romance genre but this just rubbed me wrong.

The heroine is meant to be funny but to me it seemed like she wa...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Dwayne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, for-review

I was rearing to read about ass-kicking couples a few days back and this book called out to me. Not only does it have romance at its heart, which I couldn't obviously seem to live without, it also has some targetted violence and that makes one interesting combination!

Reading Married with Zombies was such a breeze. I loved the characters. David and Sarah are as real as can be, and they are the type of characters that you, as a reader, immediately feel comfortable with. Their married life can be s...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010

The tag line says it all: The couple who slays together slays together.

LOL! Hilarious! Sarah and David are a Seattleite married couple on the verge of divorce after six unsuccessful months of couples therapy. On the way to what may be one of their last therapy sessions before the inevitable D word takes place, they notice that the normal downtown Seattle traffic is unusually sparse... as is their therapist's office. Where's the security guard? Or the receptionist? Annoyed at the rude lack of pun...more

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May 10, 2011 Tammy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am not, in general, a fan of series. If I had noticed that this book was number 1 in a series, I probably would not have chosen it. But choose it, I did.

It was a fun little romp - a love story woven around the zombie apocalypse that did not shrink from blood, gore, or general ugliness - while still remaining fluffy and light, never really becoming dark despite the subject matter.

I think the problem with a zombie story - and the reason I did not give it more stars - is that zombies don't really...more

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title link	preview: Zombie Thérapie
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Zombie Thérapie (Living With the Dead #1)

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